Strengthening the hepatitis B care cascade to prevent vertical transmission in Africa: a call to empower midwives

Summary box Africa bears the highest global burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and despite the availability of interventions for the prevention of mother to child transmission, including antenatal screening, antiviral prophylaxis and timely administration of the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine, significant gaps persist across the perinatal HBV care cascade, where access to physician specialist care is limited.